The present invention relates to a video camera capable of recording and/or reproducing audio signals and video signals simultaneously, and more particularly to a portable video camera of such type.
It is general that a video camera is customary adapted for recording both video and audio signals simultaneously in a recording medium such as a magnetic tape for example, and with regard to sounds, improved devices having a stereophonic audio recording function with two microphones are currently popularized. Therefore, when the sounds and images recorded by a video camera are reproduced by the use of, for example, a home television receiver equipped with a color cathode ray tube as a monitor, it may be said that stereo recording is superior to monaural one in achieving enhanced vivid reproduction with the live-performance reality.
However, in any of the conventional video cameras known heretofore, even a type employing a plurality of microphones for stereophonic audio recording is capable of executing merely two-channel sound reproduction, and it is becoming difficult to comply with the predicted demand for improvements relative to attaining the live-performance reality.
Apart from a conventional large-sized theater where images and sounds shot and recorded in a silver chloride film are reproduced by means of a projector, there has been contrived a mini-theater where a magnetic tape is used for shooting and recording by a video camera, and reproduction is executed by a video projector with a video tape recorder or the like, and the latter is currently on the increase. It is observed now that such mini-theater system tends to be popular for home use as well, and the demand for enjoying the reproduced images with the enhanced live-performance reality of the sounds is also coming to be high in general homes.
More particularly, it is becoming possible that images and sounds recorded in a magnetic tape or the like by an ordinary portable video camera can be enjoyed by the use of a deluxe acoustic apparatus with a video projector including a video tape recorder and so forth and a screen or a large-sized monitor (e.g., a display unit employing a plasma liquid crystal device).
Even if the image is reproduced to be dimensionally great on a screen or a large-sized monitor, in case the stereophonic sound reproduction is executed merely in two channels, lack of the live-performance reality is unavoidable and therefore complete satisfaction is not attained. For example, if the sport activity of a user's child in a children's athletic meeting or the like has been shot dynamically, in case the actual sound recording is merely stereophonic, it is impossible to vividly reproduce the back or ambient cheering shout, hurrah, roar and so forth with actual feeling of the live-performance reality. Consequently, it is difficult to completely utilize the full function of at least the sound reproduction line in a home video/audio reproducing apparatus, hence causing some restriction in attainment of sufficient enjoyment.